COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Amtrak says it will release a new plan which will focus on routes that are less than 500 miles long, and will ask Congress for funds to cover expenses.
The company refused to answer whether Ohio, specifically Columbus, is included in this plan. Instead, it referred questions about this to the Ohio Rail Development Commission, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and advocacy group All Aboard Ohio.
The Ohio Rail Development Commission is also cagey about what kind of role the state will play in this plan.
Amtrak says that the under-500 miles routes are the fastest-growing segment of their service.
“We are working with our state partners, local officials and other stakeholders to understand their interests in new and improved Amtrak service and will be releasing that plan soon,” Amtrak said in an email statement.
“We will call on Congress to authorize and fund Amtrak’s expansion in such corridors by allowing us to cover most of the initial capital and operating costs of new or expanded routes,” the statement concluded.
A spokesperson for the Ohio Rail Development Commission said in an email statement that ORDC and ODOT had been briefed by Amtrack on their proposal.
However, they wouldn’t say what kind of plan, if any, is in the works for Ohio.
“At the current time the role of the state in the plan is not clear and we are not aware of any needed action by Ohio at this time. We look forward to hearing more about what Amtrak’s proposal could mean to Ohio as the federal transportation bill advances through that process,” the statement said.